QINGYUAN XINGSI, 青原行思, 660-740.
Another Dharma-heir of Huineng. His posthumous title was Hongzhi (Hung-chi, Gusai), “Helping Others.”
Very little is known about his biography. In view of his honorific title we must look and see if he is a candidate for the inheritance of potential wisdom of the Master Huineng and the possibility of that being transmitted to YUNMEN WENYAN, 雲門文偃 (d.949); FAYAN WENYI, 法眼文益 (885-958) and the CAODONG 洞 (Soto) Path, which history tells us follow from this fount through Shitou Xiqian.
Dongshan Liang-chieh, 洞山良价 (807-869) and Caoshan Benji, 曹山本寂 (840-941) founded the CAODONG model.
SHITOU XIGIAN, 700-790
Shitou Xiqian, 700-790, was accepted as a student by Huineng in 713, the year of his death. After Huineng died, we know very little about what happened next until he was ordained at Lofu-shan in 728, after which he went to study with Qingyuan in Zhihzhou.
We can deduce that he was the foremost student of Qingyuan Xingsi especially in view of the following interview which was one of many in which Shitou showed his quick mind and perhaps "strong" temperament.
Shitou asked Qingyuan, "Did you know the Master of Cao Xi?"
Quingyuan replied, "Do you know me?"
Shitou replied, "If I knew you I would understand you".
Quingyuan replied, "I have many cows with horns but only one Unicorn."
Shitou was the sole Dharma-heir of Qingyuan Xingsi. What were his principle teachings that may give us some idea of his Contemplation method?
What we find is a great emphasis upon the Fusion of Unity and Diversity.
The question is, how does that relate to the complete devotion to helping others of Huineng?
What we are speaking of here from a teaching standpoint is the understanding of Clear Comprehension, the operation in which a particular form and name is extracted as illusion from the undifferentiated form received by the system by all the sense doors.
While understanding that is important, the greater focus must be upon what thet means with respect to the development of the Sublime States.
In his poem on the Fusion of Unity and Diversity he states from line eight the following ideas related to the theme:
"Each and all, the subjective and objective spheres are related,
and at the same time, independent.
Related, yet working differently, though each keeps its own place.
Form makes the character and appearance different;
Sounds distinguish comfort and discomfort.
The dark makes all words one; the brightness distinguishes good and bad phrases.
The four elements return to their nature as a child to its mother.
Fire is hot, wind moves, water is wet, earth hard.
Eyes see, ears hear, nose smells, tongue tastes the salt and sour.
Each is independent of the other; cause and effect must return to the great reality
Like leaves that come from the same root.
The words high and low are used relatively.
Within light there is darkness, but do not try to understand that darkness;
Within darkness there is light, but do not look for that light.
Light and darkness are a pair, like the foot before
and the foot behind, in walking. Each thing has its own intrinsic value
and is related to everything else in function and position.
Ordinary life fits the absolute as a box and its lid.
The absolute works together with the relative like two arrows meeting in mid-air.
Reading words you should grasp the great reality. Do not judge by any standards.
If you do not see the Way, you do not see it even as you walk on it.
When you walk the Way, it is not near, it is not far.
If you are deluded, you are mountains and rivers away from it.
I respectfully say to those who wish to be enlightened:
Do not waste your time by night or day.